A Forgiving Glow

 

Did anyone ever tell you that you were “positively glowing”? It’s a common expression. When you see someone extremely happy, or perhaps at peace, you might say that they are glowing or simply “beaming” with delight. When actors or athletes win an important award, they appear to be glowing with understandable pride. Parents are glowing with pride as they watch their children perform in a schoolhouse play. Other people are known for a “sunny disposition.” So, what’s going on with these references to light when talking about someone’s happy face? People can’t actually glow, can they? While “glowing” is perhaps a figurative way to express the joy on one’s face, could it be literally true? Yes! According to one source, “the human body literally glows, emitting a visible light in extremely small quantities at levels that rise and fall with the day. … Past research has shown that the body emits visible light, 1,000 times less intense than the levels to which our naked eyes are sensitive.” I think that when we spend quality time with someone, even if that Someone is God, we feel happy, and that happiness causes our inner light, our “happy light,” to glow even brighter. You can’t spend too much time in the presence of God without getting a little glow. Moses certainly got his glow! And Jesus on the mountain of the Transfiguration did, too. You don’t need a mountain to start glowing. All you need is a little time with Jesus! —Timothy Merrill

Scientific findings have also confirmed what we Christians have known all along. An unforgiving, grudge-holding spirit is not in our best interest. According to a report heralded by Newsweek, more than 1,200 published studies have now been conducted on   the subject and the results are both consistent and conclusive: “…increased blood pressure and hormonal changes – linked to cardiovascular disease, immune suppression and possibly impaired neurological function and memory” are the “specific physiologic consequences” of unforgiveness.

One researcher, Everett Worthington, uses language even I can understand. “It happens down the line, but every time you feel unforgiveness, you are more likely to develop a health problem.” Dr. Dean Ornish goes even further. “In a way,” he says, “the most selfish thing you can do for yourself is to forgive other people.”

[Matthew 5:7] It seems the Bible has been right all along: “Blessed are the merciful, For they shall obtain mercy.” “And be kind to one another, tenderhearted, forgiving one another, even as God in Christ forgave you” (Ephesians 4:32). “…putting on tender mercies, kindness, humility, meekness, longsuffering; bearing with one another, and forgiving one another, if anyone has a complaint against another; even as Christ forgave you, so you also must do. But above all these things put on love, which is the bond of perfection” (Colossians 3:12-14). “For if you forgive men their trespasses, your heavenly Father will also forgive you. But if you do not forgive men their trespasses, neither will your Father forgive your trespasses” (Matthew 6:14-15).

I once heard of an epitaph upon a headstone of an unkempt, long-forgotten grave which read, “Died of Grudgitus.” No doubt many death certificates could accurately list “Grudgitus” as a contributing cause of death. Have you ever heard someone snarl, through clinched teeth, “I’ll get even with them if it’s the last thing I ever do?” “If it possible, as much as it depends on you, live peaceably with all men. Beloved, do not avenge yourselves, but rather give place to wrath; for it is written, ‘Vengeance is Mine, I will repay,’ says the Lord (Romans 12:17-19). Don’t make yourself sick. Forgive, and glow with God’s love.

Present Yourself, Holy

 

I heard a story recently about a congregation that hired a contractor to repaint their building steeple. When the painting began, it became apparent that the contractor had underestimated the amount of paint it would take to do the job. Whereupon he instructed his workers to thin the paint so there would be enough to finish the work. When the workers began using the thinned down paint there was a noticeable difference in the color. Even though it was a clear day, without a single cloud to be seen in the sky, there came a loud clap of thunder along with a voice from heaven saying, “Repaint! And thin no more!”

While we enjoy humorous stories such as this, there is a moral lesson here as well. God desires us to be honest, to do our very best, take no short-cuts, and be true to the commitments we have made. By doing these things and striving to be like Jesus, the world will be able to see Him in our lives and hopefully be receptive to the good news about our Savior. (Isaiah 33:15-16) “He who walks righteously and speaks uprightly, He who despises the gain of oppressions, Who gestures with his hands, refusing bribes, Who stops his ears from hearing of bloodshed, And shuts his eyes from seeing evil; He will dwell on high; His place of defense will be the fortress of rocks; Bread will be given him, His water will be sure.” (Proverbs 12:22) “Lying lips are an abomination to the Lord, But those who deal truthfully are His delight.” (1 Peter 1:15-16) “…but as He who called you is holy, you also be holy in your conduct, because it is written, ‘Be holy, for I am holy.’” (Philippians 4:8) “Finally, brethren, whatever things are true, whatever things are noble, whatever things are just, whatever things are pure, whatever things are lovely, whatever things are of good report, if there is any virtue and if there is anything praiseworthy – meditate on these things.” (Colossians 3:23) “And whatever you do, do it heartily, as to the Lord and not to men…” (Ecclesiastes 9:10) “Whatever your hand finds to do, do it with your might; for there is no work or device or knowledge or wisdom in the grave where you are going.” (Ecclesiastes 12:13-14) “Let us hear the conclusion of the whole matter: Fear God and keep his commandments, for this is man’s all. For God will bring every work into judgment, Including every secret thing, Whether good or evil.”

[Romans 12:1-2] “I beseech you therefore, brethren, by the mercies of God, that you present your bodies a living sacrifice, holy, acceptable to God, which is your reasonable service. And do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind, that you may prove what is that good and acceptable and perfect will of God.”

Paul begins this very familiar passage by pleading with Christians to live daily for God upon the grounds of the immeasurable grace and mercy that has been shown to us. One great proof of God’s love is that He sent His only Son to die for us, paying our sin debt of death, then giving us a choice whether or not to follow Him, our Redeemer, Savior, knowing that most people would not obey. The plea is for followers of Christ to enter their living body into selfless service to the Lord. Every command from God requires our body, so those bodies must be “holy” – set apart for devotion to Him. We often stress, and rightly so, the need to offer authorized acts of worship to God. But it is equally important in God’s eyes that we offer our bodies and our lives as a kind of daily sacrifice for which He has asked. Christians should be set apart like “a city that is set on a hill” (Matthew 5:14), obvious to those who see you, so that they might “glorify your Father in heaven (Matthew 5:16). This kind of life only comes through the renewing of the mind to the will of God. Thinking right is an essential beginning to doing right. Let your light shine the love of God.

Servants of Kindness

 

Can you remember the fad of having a “fitness tracker”? It looked like a watch, yet sleeker. I believe most of them did keep time, but their main purpose was to keep track of the steps one took each day and some even monitored one’s sleep patterns. When worn regularly, the “fitness tracker” was intended to be an encouragement to help one toward a more proper way of physical fitness and better health. Now the same thing is on my phone.

I once contemplated the idea of a “kindness tracker”. Not that a mechanical one could be made, but the very thought that I could somehow, each day, keep track of acts of kindness that I do would be great. It would not be for me to share with anyone, or compare myself with anyone, or to compete with anyone. No, it would be just to keep myself motivated to do cordial things for others. I could keep a running total in my mind throughout the day and then think back over the list at the end of the day. This would supply a certain amount of satisfaction at the end of a trying day, or maybe, if the total were quite low, it could supply motivation for the next day.

There’s an old story that used to make the rounds of church bulletin articles and sermons. It told of a man who wanted his son to have something to do that would make him feel good about himself. The son was lazing around one snowy afternoon, and the father told his son to get off the couch and go to the neighbor’s house and shovel the snow off their sidewalk and driveway before they got home from work …and without the neighbor knowing who did it. Ah, there’s the rub! There is an element of self-esteem and satisfaction that should not be fed by someone else acknowledging or rewarding an act of kindness. We should do it just because it is the kind thing to do. We can enrich our lives and the lives of others by being more aware of our acts of kindness, as well as those done by others.

[Galatians 6:10] “Therefore, as we have opportunity, let us do good to all, especially to those who are of the household of faith.” A story is told of a high government official coming into President Lincoln’s office and was startled to find the chief executive shining his shoes! “Sir!” the man cried out in astonishment, “Surely you don’t polish your own shoes!” “Of course,” replied the humble President. “Whose do you polish?” The greatness of a man is demonstrated by his humility. Truly, no life has exhibited humility as supremely as the life of Jesus. As deity in the flesh, Jesus “made himself of no reputation, taking the form of a bondservant…” (Philippians 2:7). The meaning here is that Jesus laid aside His rank and dignity and became in respect to that as nothing; He assumed a humbler rank and station. Did not Jesus himself affirm, “…just as the Son of Man did not come to be served, but to serve, and to give His life a ransom for many” (Matthew 20:28).

Our God has given us a name above all other names, that worthy name “Christian” (Acts 11:26; 26:28; 1 Peter 4:16; James 2:7). Did you know that the name Christian is found only three times in the Bible? But the word ‘servant’ is used to refer to God’s people some thirty-two times in the New Testament. Certainly, we cannot give our life as a ransom for others as did our Savior, but we can certainly ‘die to self’ that we may be servants of others. Even in prophecy, Jesus was called “My servant…”, but in that same prophecy, God called him “My Elect One, in whom My soul delights!” (Isaiah 42:1-4; Matthew 12:18-21). God is not well pleased with us when we seek to stand above our fellow believers, but only when we are willing to humble ourselves in service to them. In the eyes of God, the greatest among man is first the servant of men. “He sat down, called the twelve, and said to them, “If anyone desires to be first, he shall be last of all and servant of all” (Mark 9:33-35).

A Better Home Awaits

 

Take a look around where you’re sitting and find five things that have blue in them. (Go ahead and do it). With a “blue” mind­set, you’ll find that blue jumps out at you: a blue book on the table, a blue pillow on the couch, blue in the painting on the wall, and so on. In like fashion, you’ve proba­bly noticed that after you buy a new car, you promptly see that make and model of car every­where. That’s because people find what they are looking for.

Financial experts tell us our homes are our largest asset. An average house in 1973 was 1,660 sq. ft., while in 2015 the average house was 2,687 sq. ft. In 2025, the average U.S. home size is approximately 2,200 square feet. Median new home sales prices were around $392,300 to $422,800, while average, often larger or custom homes, ranged from $487,500 to $498,000, reflecting high demand and a, trend of shrinking new home sizes.

 Numerically, fami­lies continue to decrease in size compared to previous decades. Our homes are especially important more due to values, not needs. We are blessed to work, plan, and prosper while choosing a home that fits our goals. We may even be thinking of remodeling or relocating. How often do we ponder our eter­nal home? Heaven deserves all the atten­tion we give our earthly homes, and more!

Heaven is a literal place. Hebrews 11:16 says, “But now they desire a bet­ter, that is, a heavenly country, Therefore God is not ashamed to be called their God, for He has prepared a city for them.” Our hope of Heaven exceeds any dwelling we may come in contact with here. Do you desire a better place?

Heaven provides rest for the weary. Hebrews 4:9 says, “There remains there­fore a rest for the people of God.” We all have worked long hours to the point of being too tired to sleep. We understand fatigue, pain, and suffering. None of this exists in Heaven. Do you want to find rest from your labor?

Heaven will last forever. First Thessa­lonians 4:17 says, “Then we who are alive and remain shall be caught up together with them in the clouds to meet the Lord in the air. And thus we shall always be with the Lord.” We leave the comfort of our homes frequently, but we will forever be with the Lord if we do His will. Do you desire a place of permanent security?

At times in our lives, God seems strangely absent, but the prob­lem is not that God has disappeared. We simply lack a “God” mindset. When we develop our sensitivity, we soon begin to see His work everywhere! George Washington Carver said, "I love to think of nature as unlimited broadcasting stations, through which God speaks to us every day, every hour and every moment of our lives, if we will only tune in and remain so.”

There is an element of truth to what Carver said. The Bible says, "For what can be known about God is plain to them, because God has shown it to them. For his invisible attributes, namely, his eternal power and divine nature, have been clearly perceived, ever since the creation of the world, in the things that have been made..." (Romans 1:19-20 ESV).

Nature–God’s creation–is one way God speaks to us. Yet the topic about which God speaks to us through his creation is singular: his existence. When one observes the beauty and complexities of this universe, it is clear that there is a Creator.

Yet nature will not tell us anything about our Creator's will for us. For that, we need the Scriptures, the holy Bible (2 Timothy 3:16-17).

 [John 14:1-6] A home is being prepared for those who want to live with God. Heaven is a better home, provides rest, and will last forever. Are you preparing for your next home?

Valleys and Peaks

 

You may remember the TV show, “Hee Haw” and on one of the shows, Doc Campbell is confronted by a patient who says he broke his arm in two places. Doc replies, “Well then, stay out of them places!” Sometimes, that is precisely the right approach to overcoming temptation. Other times, however, temptation seems to come looking for you.

Jesus, for example, was on a spiritual retreat! He had just been baptized by John in the Jordan River. The Holy Spirit then directed him into the wilderness where he would spend 40 days in prayer and fasting. You would think that a person on such a spiritual retreat would be impervious to temptation. Yet, Jesus Christ, the Son of God, was tempted at three different times and in three different ways!

We should not be surprised, then, if temptation locates us and knocks at the door. We might even answer, but we should not let temptation in. We should remember who we are - children of God. We have a family name to honor and respect. We wouldn’t want God’s name sullied or disrespected. We should remember God’s word to us. This is found in the Bible. Reading the Bible every day helps us to remember God’s will for us. We should remember that we don’t really need what temptation offers us. Whatever it is, we have something better. Moreover, if we yield to the temptation, we are going to feel bad afterwards. Finally, we should remember that God will not allow us to be tempted above and beyond our ability to resist it. The stronger the temptation, the more powerful is God’s trust and belief in us. We can resist and overcome! – Timothy Merrill

[Psalm 23:4] “Yea, though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I will fear no evil; For You are with me; Your rod and Your staff, they comfort me.” At the heart of Psalm 23 is this phrase with which we can all identify, either literally or spiritually. Many people have drawn and still draw comfort from this simple and plain message.

Some have driven through valleys; some have walked through valleys; and some have lived in valleys. Most of us have gone through times in life that could be described as valleys when the days seem dark, our friends seem few, and temptations seem to increase as we seek ways to comfort ourselves. As we think of the characteristics of a literal valley, let’s see them in light of the feelings and emotions we experience in the “down” times.

* In a valley, it can be very cold. Because of the blocking out of the sun’s rays by mountains and trees, valleys can be very cold places to be. Emotionally, in our time of discouragement, we may be cut off from the warmth of friendship and companionship. In such a time, the presence of God needs to be remembered (Hebrews 13:5). * In a valley, it is very difficult to stay focused on the big picture. As one enters a valley, our vision of the distance and far-off places is obscured. The dominant view is that of the valley. If we are not careful, we will think that all that is important and all that is going on in our life is that which troubles us. It is in such a time that we remember that there is a longer, upward way that goes through valleys, but leads to the father. * In a valley, fog is common. Temperature and moisture conditions can change quickly, and fog can roll in within minutes. The road and objects surrounding it can be obscured, leaving a traveler fearful and confused. Confusion is a byproduct of discouragement and fear. It is in such a time that the light of the Word of God must be used and trusted (Psalm 119:105).

Life is made up of peaks and valleys. A peak awaits us on the other side of a valley. It is the depth of a valley, and our reaction to it, that often make us appreciate the height of the peak. Don’t get stuck in a valley. Hold to God’s hand, and He will lift you up (James 4:10).